Ms. Hala Aqel is a medical student at the George Washington University School of Medicine, pursuing her degree with a focus on community and urban health. Passionate about health equity and advocacy, Ms. Aqel is dedicated to improving health care access for underserved populations. She collaborates with the Public Defender Service for the District of Columbia to prepare compassionate release petitions for incarcerated individuals and works with Physicians for Human Rights to provide pro bono forensic evaluations for asylum seekers. Her research includes developing and implementing a sexual and reproductive health peer education program for incarcerated women, designed to address critical health care gaps within correctional facilities. She is also engaged in clinical research aimed at improving outcomes for patients with opioid use disorder and infections related to intravenous drug use. Through her academic, advocacy, and research work, Ms. Aqel strives to create meaningful change in both clinical and community settings.